A Journey To The Clouds, Escape From Cloud Castle - Book Two - ✓

Chapter Twenty

A knife. That's her weapon. I'll bet good money that she's good with it too. She seizes our shoulders and steers us in the same direction we were walking in to get away from the demons. I'm too shocked to do anything other than let Hera guide my feet to where she wants us to go. Then, she shoves us onto a raised part of the stone ground and I look at Ally for a split second before metal bars come crashing down, trapping us in.

"Now this tale will be interesting to tell the other dumb heros who'll try to save the world." She sneers at us.

"You won't get away with this." Ally mutters.

"Oh, I think I already have!" She smiles as she turns away. "Have a good night!"

Soon after Hera leaves the lair, Ally starts rummaging in the cage, shaking the bars in hope that they'll snap and let us free. After a few seconds of doubtfully watching her urgently agitate the cage, I grab her arm in reluctance.

"It's not going to work." I reply blandly. She looks at me, her eyes pleading.

"It has to work. Something has to work." She says through gritted teeth.

Instead of replying, I grab her hands and turn her head towards me. We sit inches away from each other. I look deep into her eyes.

"What we've always said. We'll get through this together. No matter the circumstance." I say. Through her anger, Ally nods in agreement.

We sit in silence for a few more brief minutes before I break it.

"I say we start coming up with some plan to get out. There has to be a way to easily barge out of here." I tell her. Ally nods. "It's not like the Crew of Doom are so smart for us." I add with a touch of amusement. Ally cracks a smile.

"Right. Let's start by looking around at our surroundings. Maybe they hold something nearby that we can grasp from in here to pick the lock?" She suggests. I nod in agreement.

"Let's do that." I reply.

Me and Ally soon start looking at the surrounding area. The hall is dark and gloomy, like the rest of them. Cobwebs line the crevices of the corners going in all different directions. The floor is wet and scratched along with the walls. I suddenly see Ally's eyes brighten in sudden retaliation. I look at her, urging to tell me what's shocking her.

"Connor. . . we can use our powers!" She gasps. My jaw drops to the ground. Of course!

"Good idea-" I acknowledge. My hands start to warm up, and my cheeks turn red. But then I stop. How do we use our powers? Did the real Lily tell us? I rub my forehead, determined to remember.

Suddenly, I see vines wrap around my wrists, and then onto the bars of the metal cage. I turn towards Ally to see if she figured her powers out. I think she did. Vines had suddenly sprouted from the ground and had already wrapped around the bars. I consider asking her how she did it, but I get my answer soon enough. Ally squeezes her hands in and out, and roots sprout on the wet stone.

I then proceed to do the same thing, but I instead grasp the metal bars. Almost immediately, the metal starts to melt. Fire is kind of cool. I think quietly to myself. Especially considering what happened the last time I got too close to it.

A few minutes later, we finally make our way out of the cage and start off the way Hera had headed.

"Look Connor, over there!"

I turn my head around the corner of the hallway, and take a good enough look at what lies in front of me. Hera. She appears to think we're still trapped because she doesn't see us creeping behind her. Hera walks down the hallway opposite of the lair entrance. She's not alone, however.

A giant walks with her. By his strangely formal apparel, he seemed to be a guard. Me and Ally got just close enough to make out a few words of what they were saying.

"Two. . . fools. . . mistaken. . . trap." I hear Hera mumble. She then laughs wickedly and awkwardly attempts to set a loose arm on the giant's shoulder.

"Asher. . . smart. . . do. . . it." The giant said back.

"No. . . I. . . it." I hear Hera lash in reply.

"Ok, ok. You. . . smart. . . it." The giant replied.

They continue to walk down the hallway, and each step they made, another step we took. It takes almost an hour and a half to reach the front doors of the castle. They reach the doors a minute or so before us, look behind them, and exit. I glance at Ally for a brief second to catch her approval. I then slowly and steadily make my way towards the door's of the castle.